Police spray MCP supporters with hundreds of tears gas canisters at party headquarters
As President Peter Mutharika and vice president Everton Chimulirenji were taking oath of office in commercial city of Blantyre, in the capital Lilongwe dozens of anti-riot police officers were tear gassing opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP) supporters at the party headquarters at city centre.
The party supporters were stoning vehicles and blocked the roads near the MCP headquarters.
The police acted swiftly by smoking them out of the party headquarters building which is next to the building of the US embassy.
But the party organizing secretary Khumbize Kandodo Banda said the party supporters had met at the MCP headquarters to make a post-mortem and strategise the way forward after the highly contentious tripartite elections.
“The police just fired teargas into the building without warning. They didn’t even have warrant, yet they invaded the party’s private property with violent acts.” she said.
“We don’t know why the police were chasing our youths who were simply going to fuel one of our lorries.”
The tear gassing left two party supporters seriously injured and forced the US embassy to close business an hour before time.
Party supporters gathered tears gas canisters which were used to give a count and found over 400 to have been used.
MCP party president Lazarus Chakwera went to address the supporters after the police had left and called for peace and calm.
Chakwera had obtained a temporary injunction at the weekend to halt the release of presidential election results over alleged vote-rigging, but it was later lifted by the courts.
The MCP president has not reacted to the official outcome.
The national police spokesperson James Kadadzera said: “There have been sporadic cases of violence in Lilongwe in the run-up and during the election period. And the police is trying to restore law and order, especially in hotspots.”
Human right activist Timothy Mtambo, executive director of Centre for Human Rights Rehabilitation (CHHR) has since condemned the police for what he termed “an act of violence and brutality.”
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Kamuzu adapha anthu osalakwa and mizimu ya anthu amene aja lero yakwiya olo mungatani muli pansi pa matembelero ,muzalima koma osadya zipatso zake,muzamanga nyumba koma osagonamo lero ndi izi kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk sham to you all northern and central
Mukulandira tchimo la ambwiyanu kamuzu yemwe amawadyetsa anthu ndi zirombo ,kupha ,nkhanza and olo mungatani simuzapeza mtendere dziko la Malawi
Police forgets that if the 1 .7 million that voted for the pastor decides to invade the country even the police cannot stand.
Please police stop taking advantage of peaceful people after all remember you are not a politi al party but people’s protection.
HAYI, ABALE , ATI NDI CHANI
The number of cannisters, oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooomy God! What was the intention?
They expected that after kubera pakhala ziwawa and am sure anali ndi ma targets awo. Greatest mistake any police can make is to be unfriendly to the citizens.
Stupid police cadets
Useless police!!! Freedom is coming
These policemen are not happy that people are not being violent after the release of the controversial election results, so they want to insight violence kuti apezereko mwai oti aziba mtaownimu in the disguise of bringing peace. Anachalira kuti apezako katundu koma amalawi anachenjera. CAN OUR POLICE TRY TO BE PROFESSIONAL
By all means use teargas when crowds become unruly but targeting people minding their own business in homes or offices is nothing but harassment.
Just because MCP is a force to reckon with is no justification for police brutal force.
Mtete, you are right. The fear is that those canisters will be used as evidence when claiming civil damages for loss of use of party office, damages for inconvenience, damages to building, loss of use of vehicles because tyres were deflated, special damages for seeking medical attention and many other claims. The Attorney General will be busy defending these claims. Very disappointing event. Tax payers money will be paid out on claims which would have been avoided.